Beyond the Snoring: 5 Hidden Symptoms of Sleep Apnea You Need to Know
Key Takeaways
- Sleep apnea often goes unnoticed and causes more than just snoring — like gasping, headaches, and fatigue.
- Untreated sleep apnea can raise risks for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
- Tracking symptoms and using treatments like CPAP can improve sleep and health.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine¹ estimates that around 26% of adults over the age of 30 suffer from undiagnosed sleep apnea. Beyond that, there may be other adults who experience mild symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea and never seek treatment.
Even though sleep apnea is relatively common, most people are only slightly familiar with the condition and how it can affect the body. For example, most people know that loud snoring is a prominent symptom and that it makes a person stop breathing while they are asleep.
But there can be many different symptoms, including some that most people don’t ever associate with having sleep apnea at all.
Snoring and Sleep Apnea
Even those who do not have sleep apnea understand that snoring is associated with it. In fact, snoring is the most common symptom of sleep apnea.² But that doesn’t mean that you have sleep apnea just because you snore. When loud, frequent snoring is experienced along with other symptoms, it may be a sign of sleep apnea.
Doctors often recommend or order a sleep study to determine if you have sleep apnea or not. During the study, various things are monitored such as blood oxygen levels, breathing, snoring, and other parameters. If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, your treatment plan will depend on the underlying cause and severity.
Other Top Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
If sleep apnea goes undetected and untreated, it can put you at a higher risk of serious health problems. These include heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Being knowledgeable about some of the less obvious symptoms of the sleep disorder can help you know when to talk to your doctor. Here are some surprising symptoms of sleep apnea you may not know about.
Gasping for Air or Feeling of Choking in the Middle of the Night
Waking up at night gasping for air can be a symptom of sleep apnea. Maybe you didn’t even know you stopped breathing, but you’re suddenly awake and feel like you are choking or gasping. This is a sign that your breathing stopped. You may wake up suddenly and feel like you are short of breath. It’s definitely something you need to talk to your healthcare provider about.
Frequent Awakenings at Night
It’s not normal to wake up a lot throughout the nighttime. It may be a sign that some type of sleep apnea is happening. You may consider starting a sleep journal. In the mornings, write down how many times you wake up during the night. You may find out that you are waking up far more than suspected.
Excessive Daytime Sleepiness
Daytime fatigue can make you wake up feeling unrefreshed and tired, even though you felt like you slept through the night? You may have slept for the recommended eight hours, but you don’t feel like it. It’s because every time your airway becomes obstructed, you wake up. This can actually happen hundreds of times every night. No wonder you’re tired in the morning and sleepy all day long.
Morning Headaches
Waking up in the morning with a headache may not seem too connected to your sleep. But morning headaches³ are a common sign of sleep apnea. These types of headaches are different from migraines. They usually feel dull, pressing pain on both sides of the head. When your airway becomes partially or completely blocked, your blood oxygen levels drop, increasing the pressure in the head. This causes a morning headache. Learn more about sleep apnea headaches here.
Frequent Nighttime Urination
You may think you are making trips to the bathroom at night because you’re drinking too many beverages before bed. But frequent nighttime urination can be due to sleep apnea. When your blood oxygen levels drop because of the obstruction of the airway, it stimulates blood flow to your kidneys. You wake up because you now have to go to the bathroom.
What to Do if You Suspect You Have Sleep Apnea
If you notice that you have one or more of these symptoms of sleep apnea, don’t ignore them. It’s a serious condition that can impact both your long-term health and quality of life. Here are some things you can do next.
- Track Your Symptoms. Keep a sleep journal to help you keep track of your sleep patterns. Write down any nighttime disturbances and how you feel in the morning. If you can, ask your partner or another family member if they notice any signs like gasping or loud snoring while you are sleeping.
- Talk to Your Primary Healthcare Provider. Share your concerns with your doctor. They may recommend that you undergo a sleep study. This is the proper way to diagnose sleep apnea.
- Lifestyle Adjustments. You can still make some small lifestyle changes like avoiding alcohol before bed, sleeping on your side, and maintaining a healthy weight. These can help reduce your symptoms frequency or severity.
- Explore Treatment Options. If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, you can make lifestyle changes. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is an effective way to treat or manage sleep apnea.⁴ Talk to your healthcare provider about the best options for your particular circumstances and symptoms.
What is CPAP Therapy and How Does it Help Those with Sleep Apnea?
Continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP therapy helps keep your airway from collapsing while you sleep. A CPAP machine streams pressurized air through a mask that fits tightly around your nose or mouth. It doesn’t breathe for you; you continue to breathe on your own.
Different people may need different air pressures to help them keep breathing normally and comfortably. It is one of the most effective ways to treat sleep apnea⁵ and help people get a good night's sleep.
Where to Find the Best CPAP Products
CPAP therapy is an effective way to treat sleep apnea. If you were recently diagnosed, you may not be sure what you need or where to get it! Your doctor should be able to give you details and prescriptions for anything you need. You can purchase CPAP machines from The CPAP Shop. We also carry all the CPAP masks and accessories you may need.
Order your CPAP machine and equipment from the helpful professionals at The CPAP Shop. We are here to help you find exactly what you need. Give us a call at 866-414-9700.
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References
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine. (n.d.). Rising prevalence of sleep apnea in U.S. threatens public health. Retrieved from https://aasm.org/rising-prevalence-of-sleep-apnea-in-u-s-threatens-public-health/ AASM
- Cleveland Clinic. (2023, May 11). Snoring: Causes, remedies & prevention. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15580-snoring Cleveland Clinic
- Fountain, L. (2025, July 15). Sleep apnea headaches. Sleep Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-apnea/sleep-apnea-headaches Sleep Foundation
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (n.d.). Sleep apnea — treatment. Retrieved from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep-apnea/treatment NHLBI, NIH
- Weaver, T. E., & Grunstein, R. R. (2013). Summary of evidence – CPAP treatment for adults with obstructive sleep apnea: Review of the clinical and cost-effectiveness and guidelines. In NCBI Bookshelf. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK195810/ ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
